WASHINGTON (AVC News) — The FBI and NCAA are warning student-athletes about cyber-enabled sexual exploitation schemes targeting athletes and seeking to obtain or distribute private images.
The FBI says student-athletes can be targeted because of their public profiles, including increased visibility through name, image and likeness activities. That visibility can also give offenders additional leverage when threatening to expose private content.
Officials are asking coaches, athletic department staff and other trusted adults to make athletes aware of available resources before they become victims.
The FBI says some schemes begin with unsolicited messages claiming an account will be disabled unless a verification code is provided. Others may involve emails claiming there was a new login and directing the recipient to a password-reset link.
The FBI warns that legitimate platforms will not ask users to provide verification codes, temporary passwords or PIN reset codes.
Anyone who believes they have been targeted is urged not to click suspicious links or open unknown files, stop communicating with the offender, avoid making payments or providing identification, and preserve messages and images as evidence.
Officials also warn that paying an offender or complying with demands does not reliably prevent private content from being distributed and can lead to additional demands.
Incidents involving non-consensual intimate images can be reported through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ncii.ic3.gov. Reports can also be made directly to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.
The FBI says it continues to work with schools, universities and athletic organizations to prevent sexual exploitation and sextortion and help victims report these crimes.
Last Updated on August 12, 2026 by AVC News
